A 26-year-old British woman, Isabel Rose, has been sentenced to six years in prison in Hong Kong after being convicted of making a false rape claim against a UK banker. The court found Rose guilty of blackmail and perverting the course of public justice, with the judge describing her behavior as 'wicked' and indicative of a blackmail plot.
Rose, from Hackney, east London, traveled to Hong Kong in early 2024 to visit a banker she had met previously in Thailand. After arriving on January 31, 2024, she alleged she was attacked and raped by him in his apartment. The following day, she reported the alleged assault to Hong Kong police. Authorities arrested the banker but released him without charge within hours, subsequently arresting Rose.
Rose was charged with blackmail and perverting the course of public justice. The police stated there was insufficient evidence to pursue the rape case. She was released on bail but was unable to work or leave Hong Kong for two years while awaiting trial.
During the trial, WhatsApp messages exchanged between Rose and the banker came to light. In one message, Rose wrote, "You violated me last night, I didn't wanna have sex." The banker replied, "I'm really deeply sorry, I was slightly drunk and I misread your signals." He told the court he interpreted this as a reference to emotional violation, not rape. The court heard that Rose later asked for monetary compensation, writing, "Can you send me the money you owe me." The banker transferred £5,000, and Rose later requested an additional £5,000, which was stopped by bank checks. Rose claimed the money was compensation for flights, accommodation, and medical costs, while the prosecution argued the payments amounted to blackmail.
The judge rejected Rose's evidence, citing inconsistencies in her allegations. In a 300-page judgment, the judge accused Rose of using their romantic connection to manipulate the banker, making escalating demands for money and filing a false police report that led to his arrest. The court ruled that the pair had engaged in consensual intimate acts.
Rose maintains her innocence, and her family insists the alleged rape was not properly investigated. She told the BBC that reporting the incident to the police was difficult, involving repeated statements to multiple officers over 12 hours without a formal recording. She also noted the absence of a translator and that forensic tests were conducted by a male doctor, with inconclusive results.
Rose was sentenced to five years for one charge and one year served consecutively, totaling six years. She awaited sentencing in the Tai Lam Correctional Centre. Her mother traveled to the UK to report the alleged rape to the Metropolitan Police, who stated they were unable to pursue lines of inquiry due to a lack of jurisdiction in Hong Kong.